Manchester Waterworks
Managed by City of Manchester
842 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Manchester
14% of Manchester’s land is conserved: 3,001 acres
35 miles of mapped trail cross Manchester, 1.1 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: Manchester Waterworks (3 mi), Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve (2.1 mi), Livingston Park (1.7 mi). 89% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns · #72 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
14%
3,001 acres · of 33.0 sq mi of land
Trails
35 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
853 ac
7.4 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
89%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
14 mi
7.2 mi lanes · 5.0 mi paths
Highest peak
545 ft
Bald Hill
Lakes & rivers
12
1 beach · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Manchester?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Manchester have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Manchester is ahead of 80% of U.S. towns, #72 of 126 in New Hampshire. Conserved land holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Manchester’s overall grade.
Conserved land14% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (35 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land7.4 acres of park per 1,000 residents (853 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to home89% of residents within a half mile of a park · NH 40% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 80%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 43%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Manchester ranks #192 on Outdoors.
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Manchester’s 14% is ahead of 34% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 34% of them.
Water is 5% of Manchester’s area (2 of 35 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 14%.
Park acres per resident are where Manchester trails most U.S. towns: 7.4 per 1,000 against 12.6 typical, since 116,818 people share 853 acres.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Manchester Waterworks, with 3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy
632 acres2.1 mi of trail
Woodland LoopRhododendron LoopAccessible TrailCedar Loop
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Pine Island Park
Managed by City of Manchester
8 acres0.4 mi of trail
Lake TrailMoore Cemetery Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 44 parks & preserves
Manchester Waterworks842 acres · 3 mi of trail · City of Manchester
DirectionsManchester Cedar Swamp Preserve632 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsLivingston Park133 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
DirectionsDerryfield Park84 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSheehan-Basquil Park8 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSheridan-Emmet Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPine Island Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Manchester
DirectionsPrecourt Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMassabesic Lake Park16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCrystal Lake Park15 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Manchester
DirectionsLafayette Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEnright Park1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWolfe Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Manchester
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWagner Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sullivan Family Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sweeney Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHowe Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
SNHU Arena Entrance Gate1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRock Rimmon Park140 acres
DirectionsBlodgett Park / Black Brook57 acres
DirectionsStevens Pond Park43 acres
DirectionsStark Park13 acres
DirectionsEllingwood Street Wildlife Management Area8 acres · NH Fish & Game
DirectionsSaint Anthony's Park8 acres
DirectionsGossler Park6 acres
DirectionsSteven's Park6 acres
DirectionsProut Park6 acres
DirectionsMedford Park5 acres
Youngsville Park4 acres · City of Manchester
Cullerot Park4 acres
DirectionsBarbara Shaw Park4 acres
DirectionsRaco-Theodore Park3 acres
DirectionsOak Park3 acres
Goffs Falls Park3 acres
Bronstein Park2 acres
DirectionsPulaski Park2 acres
DirectionsVictory Park2 acres
DirectionsKalivas Park2 acres
DirectionsSimpson Park2 acres
DirectionsStanton Plaza Park1 acres
DirectionsBass Island Park1 acres · Manchester Parks & Recreation Dept.
DirectionsArms Park1 acres
DirectionsHarriman Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
3,001 conserved acres
14% of Manchester’s land. Water is left out: Manchester has 33.0 square miles of land and 1.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Manchester’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits884 ac
Other state land489 ac
Town or city460 ac
State natural resources26 ac
State parks4 ac
Not recorded1,861 ac
Watershed Protection Area · 813 acConservation Easement · 683 acPrivate Conservation · 596 acLocal Park · 475 acState Other or Unknown · 466 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 149 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 48 of 82 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester Water Works Land Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 813 | Unknown |
| Manchester Cedar Swamp Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 596 | Unknown |
| UNH - Manchester (Hackett Hill) State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 427 | Unknown |
| Hackett Hill Private Recreation or Education | Land trusts & nonprofits | 144 | Open |
| Pine Grove Cemetary Local Historic or Cultural Area | Town or city | 122 | Open |
| Livingston Park - Undeveloped Area Local Park | Not recorded | 81 | Unknown |
| Rock Rimmon Park - Undeveloped Area Local Park | Not recorded | 80 | Unknown |
| Piscataquog River Park - Undeveloped Area Local Park | Not recorded | 62 | Unknown |
| Samuel Blodgett Park Local Park | Town or city | 59 | Open |
| Black Brook Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 53 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
80 places to go in Manchester
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Manchester
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Manchester
Livingston PoolIn Livingston Park
DirectionsRaco Theodore Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Manchester
Cowabunga's
DirectionsDavid M. Wihby PlaygroundIn Livingston Park
DirectionsDupont Splash PadIn Rock Rimmon Park
DirectionsProut Park playgroundIn Prout Park
DirectionsRobert J. Pariseau PlaygroundIn Barbara Shaw Park
Directions62 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Manchester
Manchester Dog Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Manchester
Nutts Pond Boatlaunch
DirectionsStark Landing
DirectionsStevens Pond Park and Boat LandingIn Stevens Pond Park
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Manchester
Bald Hill545 ft elevation
DirectionsRock Rimmon341 ft elevation · In Rock Rimmon Park
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Manchester
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Manchester
Camp CarpenterDaniel Webster Council
DirectionsDisc golf in Manchester
The Hollows Disc Golf Course (North)City of Manchester
DirectionsTrails & water
14 named trails and 12 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.1 miUnpaved · 11.3 mi
Heritage Trail1.3 mi
Woodland Loop0.9 mi
Piscataquog River Falls Trail0.8 mi
Piscataquog River Trail East0.5 mi
Rhododendron Loop0.5 mi
Accessible Trail0.4 mi
Piscataquog River Trail West0.4 mi
Lake Trail0.3 mi
Cedar Loop0.2 mi
Stark Ramble0.2 mi
4 more trails
Piscataquog River Trail Connector
0.1 miGoffstown Rail Trail
0.1 miPiscataquog Trail
0.1 miMoore Cemetery Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
14 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
7.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
5.0 mi
off-road bike paths
1.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
56Baseball
49Tennis
29Basketball
25Soccer
8Football
6Pickleball
2Multi-sport
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →36 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 9 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Gen. John Stark HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itWeston ObservatoryBuilding · listed 1975
About itAsh Street SchoolBuilding · listed 1975
About itAthens BuildingBuilding · listed 1975
About itManchester City HallBuilding · listed 1975
About itSmyth TowerBuilding · listed 1978
About itZimmerman HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About itCurrier Gallery of ArtBuilding · listed 1979
About itVarney SchoolBuilding · listed 1982
About itAlpheus Gay HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itNew Hampshire State Union ArmoryBuilding · listed 1982
About itDistrict ADistrict · listed 1982
About it24 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Manchester: May to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.7 | 9.0 |
| High (°F) | 33 | 36 | 45 | 58 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 61 | 49 | 38 |
| Rain (in) | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Manchester →
Next door
Manchester and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Goffstown95 miLondonderry66 miAuburn59 miMerrimack57 miHooksett42 miManchester35 miBedford28 miSouth Hooksett0.9 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 14% | 1.1 | 7 | 89% | A− |
| Bedford | 9% | 0.9 | 25 | 55% | A− |
| Hooksett | 25% | 1.2 | 96 | 24% | A− |
| Londonderry | 15% | 1.6 | 13 | 28% | B+ |
| South Hooksett | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Auburn | 32% | 2.3 | 22 | 52% | A |
| Goffstown | 16% | 2.6 | 24 | 67% | A |
| Merrimack | 20% | 1.8 | 69 | 70% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Manchester
Where can I hike in Manchester?
The longest trail networks: Manchester Waterworks, 3 miles; Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve, 2.1 miles; Livingston Park, 1.7 miles; Derryfield Park, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Manchester is conserved land?
14% of its land, against a typical 19% for a New Hampshire town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Manchester’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Livingston Park (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Manchester?
14 miles of bike routes are on the map: 7.2 of painted or protected lanes, 5.0 of off-road paths and 1.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Manchester?
24,390 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Manchester or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 853 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Manchester have?
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #72 of 126 in New Hampshire. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Manchester neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →